Heating apparatus



April 30, 1946. E. BLETZ 2,399,423

HEATING APPARATUS INVENTOR EpwARo BLETZ F,G 7 F/G 6. ATroRNw April 30, 19:46.A E. BLETZ 2,399,423

HEATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 14, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 THEEMOS TAT manzanas UNITED l:saws

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oFFicE Y HEATING APPARATUS Edward Blets, Lexington, Ohio, assignor to West- Corpora lnghonse Electric Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania tion, Elst Pittsburgh.

` muuu@ imm i4, mi, serai No. roam BClaims.

` 'This mvenuonreistes to electric nesting devices and more particularly to that type having a heating unit provided with a control for regulating the heat output of the unit, and it has for an object to provide an improved device of the character set forth.

In'theartofcookinmmanyfoodsrequirea 4fast or rapid initial heating to bring the food to a predetermined temperature, such as the boiling point of water in the case of foods cooked in water, and then require less heat after that (ci. zia-zo) Itis, accordingly. a further object of this inl vention to provide animproved control system for a heating unit which may comprise a single electric heating element, which control system permits the heating element to operate at full wattage input until the temperature of the food to be cooked orvthe material to be heated thereon reaches a predetermined value and then automatically reduces the wattage input to the heating element to any desired value, as determined by the adjustment of the control system. to maintain the food at the proper temperature.

These and other objects are eifected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in accordance with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an electric cooking range in which the present invention has been incorporated.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through one of the surface units of the range illustrated in Fig. 1, the section being taken substantiallyon the line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a diagram of the electrical circuit employed for the surface unit illustrated in Fig. 2,'

Fig. 5 is a circuit diagram illustrating a modified form of the invention:

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of a modified thermostat which may be substituted for the thermostat shown in Fig. 2; and

, Fig. 'I is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line VII-VII of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Fig. l, there has been illustrated an electric cooking range designated generally by the reference character I0. This range has been illustrated to show one adaptation of the invention, it being apparent that the present invention is not limited to application to the particular range shown. The range ill comprises a range body Il having the usual oven and broiler compartments (not shown) closed by suitable doors. and a platform I2 and back splasher Il. The operation of the oven may be regulated in the usual manner by means of a time clock Il which controls circuits for the oven heating elements (not shown) lto start and stop the baking or cooking operations at diiierent times depending on the setting of the cloclr controls.

In the particular range illustrated in the drawings, three' range surface units designated il, 20, and 2| and a deepwell cooker 22 have been shown supported in the platform I2. However, the present invention is not concerned with the details of the range construction or the accessories therefor -and for a clear understanding of the present invention specic reference will only be made hereafter to the surface unit 20. It will be understood that the operation of the surface units Il and 2|, as well as the deep well cooker unit `22, may also be controlled in the manner to be described in connection with the surface unit 20.

The control system for the surface unit 2li includes a pilot thermostat 24, Fig. 2, thermally insulated from heating element 22 of the surface unit 2l and supported in a position to be heated by a cooking vessel placed on the surface unit. The control system also includes a control thermostat 25 which is preferably thermally insulated from the cooking vessel and the heating element 23. The control thermostat may conveniently be mounted at the rear of the back splasher as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. These two thermostats control electrical circuits for the heating element of the surface unit in such a way that the heating element receives full wattage input until the cooking vessel reaches a temperature determined by the pilot thermostat 24 and thereafter the average wattage input to the heatdepending on theadinstment of the mostat Il.

roobtainnmyataomatieeentmiertnsm-- faceunitllthecixcuitsfortheheatingelement" Ilmaybeoon bymeanaofthetimeclock I4 which also oontrolsthe ovenheating-elements (not-shown); to close and openthese circuits atv giventiluecaa'deterininedbythesettingozftheI clock controls. This clock maybe of any approved construction. and since the details thereof thecrossbartl-'andapinltextendiugthroh the' spring n permits the thermostat to be moves downwardlyhyacookingveaselplacedonthe surface `unit Il.

between the veasel'and'the thermostat is assured.

andthemannerinwhichit'rnayopenandclose'a-1` switch B in the heltinl element circuits (nl. 3)

are well known. they need not be further described .aerei-ring to rig. 2, it wm be 'noted that the range surface unit Il is supported within an opening formed in the range platform I! as by means of an over-hanging annularfiange Il. formed on the reflector` pan structure 21 of the unit.` This ilange rests on a complementary annular flange 2l of therange platform.

'I'he reilector pan structure l1, supports the nat. helically-colled armored resistance heating element Il having terminals I! and Leads il and". Fig. 3, extending from the terminals 32 'and il are connected in circuits illustrated diagrammatically in- Pig. 3. The armored resistance element Il may be supported by spider arms ll in the usual manner. the inner ends of these arms being welded to a ring 3l.

The ring Il has welded thereto the upper ends of a U-shaped metal strap Il which supports i the pilot thermostat 1I in spaced concentric relation to the heating element 2l. -A sleeve 42 of heat insulatingmaterial rests on the cross bar I3 of the U-shaped strap 4I and is secured to the ring 3l and a similar ring u, carried by the strap 4|.' by means of screws 45. The insulating sleeve I! surrounds the thermostat 2l and thermally insulates the thermostat from the heating element 23 and its supporting structure.

The temperature responsive portion of the pilot thermostat 2l may be of conventional construction and is here shown as comprising a bimetal disc Il of the snap-acting type.` This disc is supported at its center by an adjusting lscrew 41, and carries contacts ll which are preferably insulated from the disc but are connected to each other by means of a suitable conductor. When the temperature of the disc is below its critical or operating temperature, it is in the position shown in Fig. 2 and the contacts l! bridge iixed contacts 49 carried byfa base plate Il mounted on the thermostat adjusting screw I1.l It will be understood that the disc 4l may be adjusted to snap over at diierent temperatures by means of the screw 41.

'I'he bimetal disc 4t is enclosed by a cap B2 which is preferably made of good heat-conducting material such as aluminum or the like. The rim of this cup is ilanged in the manner shown in Fig. 2 so that it may be detachably secured l to the base plate ll.

The adjusting screw l1 of the thermostat 2l is threaded into a vertically extending rod M. This rodfextends slidably through an opening formed in an inverted U-shaped guide bracket Il which is secured to the cross bar Il of the strap 4I.

vThis cross bar is slotted to receive the flattened With reference 'to Pig. 3, it will be'noted that the heating element 2l is connected in a circuit across the power conductors il when the thermostat Il is closed. This circuit may be traced from one of the conductors Il, lead Si to the terminal I2 of the heatingv element Il. through the heating element. terminal Il thereof, lead Il. conductor ll, through the' closed contacts of the thermostat 24, conductor l2, terminal screw II, closed contacts Il of the control thermostat 2l. to be described in detail hereinafter. spring tl of the control thermostat, terminal screw Il, conductor 81 to the other power conductor It. Thus. as long as the thermostat 2l remains closed, the surface unit 2li will receive full wattage input and will be on "high heat. 'I'he thermostat 24 is preferably adjusted, at the factory, to open" and interrupt the circuit described above when its temperature is approximately that of boiling water although itis to be understood that this thermostat may be adjusted to open" at any .desired temperature. v

' Since the thermostat It is in close thermal re lation with the cooking vessel but is thermally insulated from the heating element Il, the thermostat will receive its heat chiefly from the vessel and will operate in response to the temperature of the cooking vessel. Thus, when it is desired to reduce the amount of heat supplied to the vessel as when the contents thereof have been brought to or near the boiling point of water it is necessary to open the circuit described above. With the thermostat 2l open, the circuit described above will be interrupted and normally permit the heating element to cool. However. when the thermostat 2l opens, a second circuit for the heating element4 2l is completed.

This second circuit extends from one power conductor through the lead 3i, terminal 32, heating unit 23, terminal Il, lead 38 to terminal screw 1|, radiant heater 12, strap conductor 1l to the terminal screw ll, closed contacts N. spring 85, terminal screw 6B, and conductor t1 to the other power conductor l0.

The radiant heater 'I2 is shunted by the circuit branch which includes the thermostat 2l,

when contacts 48 and 48 are closed. This heater is arranged so that when energized its heat directly aifects a bimetal strip 15 of the control thermostat 25. The control thermostat comprises the mentioned bimetal strip' 1I and an identical bimetal strip 1l. The bimetal strip 1I compensates for ambient ltemperatures which might otherwise effect the calibration of the bimetal strip 15. Each bimetal strip is fixed at one end to a transverse bar 11. This barl is free to pivot about its longitudinal axis, being supported by means of pointed pivot screws 1l received in sockets formed in the ends of the-bar 11. These pivot screws are adjustably secured in the upstanding ends of a U-shaped bracket 1l (Figs. 3 and 4) carried by a mounting panel Il preferably made of insulating material. This panel is mounted rearwardly of the back splasher of the range Il as shown in Fig.3 and also supports Thus. lood thermal contact the terminal screws Il, Wand 1I which have been referred to above.

Anadjustingserewisthreadedthroughgthe backsplasher Ilinapositiontohaveitsinner oriowerendengagethe freeendoftheambient temperature compensating bimetal strip l5. l The outer end of this screw is provided with an adjusting knob I as shown in Fig. 1. This knob may be provided with a suitable scale adapted tobereadwithanindexonthefrontsurface of the back splasher for indicating the adjusted position of the control thermostat. This scale maybecalibratedinanydesiredunitssuch degrees of temperature.

'I'he free end of the bimetal strip 15 is provided on its underside with a pin riveted thereto but preferably electrically insulated therefrom. This pin is adapted to rest on the upper surface ci the spring member 55. The spring member 55 is adjustably supported at one of its ends on the terminal screw 55 as shown in Fig. 4 while the free end of the spring carries, on its upper surface, one of the contact buttons 54 in a position to engage the other contact button 54 carried on conductor strap 55. The conductorstrap l5 is adiustably secured to the terminal screw 5I.

'I'he bimetal strips 15 and 15 are so arranged that upon the application of heat thereto. their free ends will curve downwardly as `viewed in Figs. 3 and 4. When the pilot thermostat 24 opens and the circuit for energizing the heating element 2l and the radiant heater 12 is effective, the heat from this radiant heater will affect the bimetal element only and cause this strip to bowdownwardly as viewed in Fig. 4. As' this bimetal strip bows downwardly the pin 5I carried thereby will press on the spring member 55, when the bimetal strip 15 engages the adjusting screw l2, and move the lower contact button 54 clear of the ilxed contact button 54 to open the heater circuit. This circuit remains open until the bimetal strip 15 cools sulliciently to allow the contacts Il to close. The length of the on" and oil" cycles of the control thermostat switch 25 is regulated by turning the adjusting knob 5I in one direction or the other.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be apparent that by turning the adjusting screw down, as viewed in these figures, to bring the pointed end of the adjusting screw 22 closer to the spring arm l5, less movement of the bimetal strip 15 and consequently less heat from the radiant heater 12 will be required to open the contacts 54 and interrupt the heater circuit. Thus, when but little heat from the radiant heater 12 is required to move the bimetal strip 15 a suillcient distance to open the contacts 54, the on" period of the heater circuit will be relatively short and the oif" period will be relatively long. This cycling of the thermostatl provides a definite wattage input, over a given period of time. to the surface unit which input may be varied by ad- Vthe surface unit will receive full wattage input From the above description. it will be under- I stood that any desired wattage input to the surfaceunitmaybeobtainedbyadiusting'thescrew.

I2 between its high and its "oil'" positions. Thus, if the control thermostat 25. be adjusted to provide on" and "on" periods of equal duration overa given period of time the surface unit will be energized one-half of the time. or in other words, will receive one-half of its normal wattage input during that time. The wattage input to the surface unit determines the amount of heat supplied to the cooking vessel.

While the "on and "olf" cycle of the control thermostat may be of anyl desiredl duration, it has been found that good cooking results are obtained when the cycle is completed in not much greater than one minute to prevent the heating element 28 from cooling too much during the oiP' period of the thermostat. In tests using a heating unit of 1500 watts and a control thermostat adjusted to provide heat. that is, over a given length of time the unit was lenergized of the time, it was found that a cycle of the thermostat with 2 seconds on" and 30 seconds o' gave very satisfactory results. With the control thermostat adjusted to give V4 heat, or in other words, so that the heating element was energized 94' of the time, the thermostat was on for 45 seconds to energize the heating element for this -period and "olf" for.15 seconds.

As mentioned above the cooking operation of the surface unit may be controlled by means of the time clock IL As shown diagrammatically.

M may be provided in the conductor (Fig. 3)

which will allow the pilot thermostat circuit to be opened at will.

In Fig. 5 there has been shown a slightlymodified form of the invention. In this figure the wiring diagram illustrated in Fig. `3 has been shown more or less schematically with an alternative manner of adjusting the operation of the control thermostat incorporated therein. The elements shown in Fig. 5 which correspond to similar elements in Fig. 3 have been identified with the same reference characters. The only substantial dii'- ference between Fig. 5 and Fig. 3 is that the control thermostat 25 may be of the permanently adjusted type in that the screw 52 may be omitted if desired and a fixed pin provided in place thereof. In this form of the invention, adjustment oi' the on and "oiT periods of the thermostat is obtained by means of a variable resistor 9| which is adapted t0 by-Dass more or less current around the radiant heater 12. Thus. when the variable resistor is set at high to cut out all of the resistor practically all of the electricity is by-passed or shunted around the radiant heater and the control thermostat will not be heated by the radiant heater with the result that the circuit for the heater element 23 remains closed -76 and the heater element receives full wattage iny put. With the variable 0| set at lum that il,with the entire resistance of the by-pass in the circuit substantially all ofthe current will,

pass through the radiant heater 12 with the result that the bimetal element 1l of. the control various other-changes ma modischem winmx:

thermostat will berapidly heated to provide la by means oi a knob or the like mounted on the iront of the back splasher in a manner similarto the knob 99 shown in Fig. 1.

'relatively short onperiod for the heater eletrol system comprising an energizing circuit for said resistance element, a thermostatic switch. a

l variable resistor, and a heater element. said ther- In Figs. 6 and 'I there is illustrated a slightly modified pilot thermostat 24a which may be used in place oi the thermostat 24. This thermostat is provided with a depending screw Il which is adapted to be received in the upper end of the vertical rod M (Fig2), for supporting the lthermostat in a position 'to resiliently engage the bottom of a cooking vessel or the like placed on the surface unit 20.

` The thermostat 24a comprises a metal disc 90 secured in spaced relation to a disc 91 oi' insulating material by means oi spaced studs 90. The lower insulating disc 91 carries a spring arm 99 which is secured at one end to the disc by means of a terminal screw |00. The free end of this arm carries a contact button |0| and is normally biased upwardly so that this contact engages a contact |02 carried by-a fixed arm |09. The arm |09 is secured to the disc 91 by means of a ter- Aminal screw |04. It will be understood that the terminal screws |00 and |04 are adapted to be connected to the conductors BI and 62 (Fig. 3) when this thermostat is to be/used in place of the thermostat 24. 'i

A bimetal disc |00 is carried by an adjusting screw |08 threaded into the upper metallic disc 96, the head of this screwl being accessible at the upper surface of the disc 98 as shown in Fig. 6 to allow adjustment oi' the bimetal disc |05. The bimetal disc is preferably snap-acting and is' iixed against rotation by means oi' a pin |01 carried by the disc 90 which pin is loosely received in a suitable opening provided in the disc. A pin |09 fixed to, but electrically insulated from, the bimetal disc |05 is adapted to strike the spring arm 99 to open contacts Ill and |02 when the bimetal disc snaps over from the position shown in Fig. 6. It will be understood that the bimetal disc assumes the position shown in Fig. 6 when it is below its critical or set temperature and will be curved in a reverse direction with relation to its center when the thermostat reaches its set temperature so that the pin |09 will hold the contacts |02 and |09 open to interrupt the circuit normally completed by these contacts.

As shown in Fig. 6, the undersuri'ace of the metal disc 90 may be provided with a recess overlying the pin |08 to provide clearance for the head of this pin. In order to prevent the thermostat from being heated directly bythe heat element 29 it is preferred to enclose the .thermostat by means of a sleeve |09 which may be made of heat insulating material and secured the 4discs 99 and 91 vin any suitable manner as lb"y means of screws or turned-over flanges like `that shown on the cup 52 in Fig. 2.

While I have shown my invention in several forms, it will be obvious to those skilled in the mostatic switch, variable resistor and heater element being arranged in multiple relative to each other and in series with said resistance element in said circuit, whereby said thermostatic switch, when closed, shunts said heater element and variable resistor, said thermostatic switch being responsive to the temperature'of said cooking vessel and adapted to open when said vessel reaches a predetermined temperature, and a heat-,actuated switch in said circuit in series with said electrical resistance element, said heat-actuated switch being arranged to be heated by said heater element and actuated thereby to intermittently interrupt said circuit, said variable resistor being adapted to vary the heat supplied by said heater element to said heat-actuated switch to vary the duration of the interruptions of said circuit by said heatactuated switch.

2. .A control system operatively associated with and adapted to control a range surface unit including an annular electric resistance element for supplying heat to a cooking vessel or the like, said control system comprising a thermostatic switch supported in substantially concentric relation with said resistance element in a position to be heated by said cooking vessel or the like, bai'e means for thermally insulating said thermostatic switch from said resistance element, a heat-actuated switch thermally insulated from said cooking vessel or the like and said resistance element, an energizing circuit for said resistance element controlled by said switches, an auxiliary resistance element in said circuit arranged in multiple with said thermostatic switch and arranged to supply heat to said heat-actuated switch for operating the same to intermittently open said circuit, said first-mentioned electric resistance element being continuously energized when said thermostatic switch is closed, said inst-mentioned electric resistance element being intermittently energized by said heat-actuated switch when said first-mentioned thermostatic switch is open, said heat-actuated switch being adjustable to vary the energy input to said first-mentioned electric resistance element when said circuit is under the control of said heat-actuated switch.

3. A control system operatively associated with and adapted to control a heating unit including an electrical resistance element adapted to supply heat to a cooking vessel or the like, said control system comprising an energizing circuit for said resistance element, circuit-interrupting means in said circuit in series with said resistance element, said circuit-interrupting means being adapted intermittently to establish and to interrupt said energizing circuit for said resistance element and being adjustable to vary the ratio between the period that the circuit is established and the period that it is interrupted, and temperatureresponsive means for shunting at least a part ot said circuit-interrupting means to provide conart that it is not so limited. but is susceptible of 75 tinuous energization of said resistance element in response to vessel temperature below a predetermined minimum.

4. A control system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said circuit-interrupting means comprises a switch in said circuit and electrically-energized means for intermittently opening said switch, and wherein said temperature-responsive means shunts said electrically-energized means to provide continuous closing of said switch and continuous energization of said resistance element.

5. The combinnation set forth in claim 3 wherein said circuit-interrupting means includes an auxiliary resistance heating element, and a temperature-responsive switch subjected to and opened by the heat of said auxiliary resistance heating element, and wherein said temperatureresponsive means shorts out said auxiliary heating element in response to said predetermined minimum temperature of said vessel.

6. The combination with a surface heating unit adapted to support a cooking vessel placed thereon and to supply heat to such cooking vessel. of a control system for said heating unit, said control system comprising circuit-interrupting means including a switch connected in series lwith said heating unit and means for intermittently opening and closing said switch, a manually-adjustable member, means responsive to one position of said member tor effecting continuous energization of the heating unit, means responsive to a second position of said member for eiecting continuous deenergization o! said heating unit, said manually-adjustable member being adapted, in various positions other than said iirst and second positions. to adjust said circuit-interrupting means to vary the ratio between the period that the circuit is established and the period that it is interrupted and thereby to vary the average wattage supplied to said heating unit, and temperature-responsive means including a temperature-responsive element disposed centrally of said heating unit and adapted to contact the bottom of a vessel placed on the heating unit, said temperature-responsive means further including a switch which, when closed, effects continuous energization of the heating unit, said temperatureresponsive element operating said switch to close the same when the vessel is below a predetermined temperature, whereby the heating unit is continuously energized, and to open the switch when the vessel is above the predetermined temperature, whereupon the energization of the heating unit is controlled by the manually-adjustable member.

EDWARD BLE'IZ. 

